Abstract

Professor Willey pursues further his survey of nineteenth century English writing in this critico-biographical analysis of the group of Victorian free-thinkers or liberals, who progressively re-interpreted the Christian faith in the glare of current historical and scientific criticism and gave expression and impetus to the massive loss of faith characteristic of that century. His pen ranges from men of letters and historians to divines, notably from Tennyson, ‘Mark Rutherford’, J. A. Froude and John Morley to the notorious Septem Contra Christum of 1860. He presents his main theme with lucid fairness and graceful scholarship, even with optimism. He regards these honest doubters, not as period-pieces but as live sources for a liberal revival in religion “chastened by twentieth century experience”. And he suggests, doubtless speaking of the intellectual milieu of the official Church of England: “If faith to-day has recovered tone and confidence, it owes this largely to the work of these pioneers who compelled it to abandon many impossible positions”.